


Ian Gallagher Isn't Afraid of Trees

by Nicrenkel



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Cats always know what they're doing, Flirty Mickey, Ian to the rescue, M/M, Sue doesn't have time for this, Those shoes aren't made for climbing Ian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-23
Updated: 2018-07-23
Packaged: 2019-06-15 07:20:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15407871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nicrenkel/pseuds/Nicrenkel
Summary: Ian decides to rescue a cat in a tree, but doesn't listen to good advice when it's offered.





	Ian Gallagher Isn't Afraid of Trees

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally published back in January for the Here Kitty Kitty collection, but I noticed today that another writer had moved her story over to keep it together with her other works, and figured it'd be a safe bet if I did the same.

Ian stared up at the cat draped lazily across its branch. He lifted his arm and pressed his hand to his forehead, blocking the sun from his view.

Sue's voice raised several decibels in frustration. "Ma'am, you can't call 911 pretending to have a heart attack. You're taking our time away from people who could actually be in need of help!"

"But I WILL have a heart attack if someone doesn't save my Eugene! I'll just die without him!"

Sue grumbled under her breath before telling the gathered crowd of nosy neighbors to disperse, as there was clearly nothing to see, here.

"I got this, Sue." Ian took a few steps back, and then propelled forward and jumped, grasping onto the lowest branch and pulling himself upwards.

"Ian, what're you doing? Get down and we'll get a ladder!" He smiled to himself as he hoisted himself up onto the branch and glanced down at his partner. "I'm fine Sue, don't worry about me. I've had plenty of practice climbing trees."

"More like climbing dick." The crowd snickered at the heckler amongst them as Ian rolled his eyes and continued upward. The sleek black cat looked down at him with soft eyes, and purred quietly while kneading his paws into the bark.

"Come on down, Eugene." He reached up slowly towards the cat, speaking in gentle tones so as not to scare him off. He stretched his neck in Ian's direction, smelling the air around him, and meowed questioningly. Ian chuckled, and took it as a sign of assurance, reaching out for him.

The cat leaped upon a higher branch, and then another. Ian sighed and buried his face into his hand. He could hear the worry in Sue's voice as she called to him, "Ian, get down NOW! We don't have time for this!"

"Yeah, Red, listen to the lady. Those branches ain't gonna hold the weight of a Jolly Gay Giant like you." More laughter from the peanut gallery.

"Asshole," Ian muttered under his breath. He climbed another branch, and felt it wobble unsteadily under his feet.

"Seriously, man, those fancy fuckin' shoes a yours ain't meant for climbing. You know you're gonna slip, right?" The crowd grew silent, waiting to see the outcome.

Ian reached up again at the cat staring down at his would-be rescuer with fascination. "Come on, Eugene, throw me a bone, here."

The blubbering old woman gasped as she looked down at the calico cat rubbing his face along her ankles, startling her from her focused trance. “Eugene! There you are! I was so worried about you!" She scooped up the cat and walked away without another word.

Sue stared her down. "You've got to be kidding me... Ian! That's not her cat! Come down, now, please! Ian!"

"Yeah, Old Lady Batshit had you scaling trees for nothing. Come on back down, Twinkletoes."

"Fuck you!" Ian called over his shoulder, funneling his anger for the loudmouth onlooker into a fixed glare at his mystery cat, who clearly knew what the fuck he was doing as he licked his paw mockingly.

"Don't gotta go prancing around through the forest on our behalf, Bambi.” The heckler continued, “If you wanna keep shaking your ass in our faces, come do it at ground level."

Ian climbed the next branch as Not-Eugene dared him on with a "mrowr?"

"Why the fuck are you so hung up about me being gay, huh? How about I come down there and you can suck my dick!"

"...Promise?" The husky voice replied. Ian's hand stilled on the branch above his head, and he looked down. For the first time, he noticed the thick-muscled man standing at the front of the crowd, arms crossed in a tight tank top, wearing jeans that accentuated his firm thighs. His long, black hair was slicked back greaser-style, and he stared back at Ian with piercing blue eyes.

His eyebrows were propped up in challenge, as he added, "Not just gonna tease me and leave me standing here with my dick in my hand, are you, Red?" The gasps from the crowd quickly turned to whistles and howls of encouragement.

Ian's mouth gaped open wordlessly as he lost his grip on the branch above him, causing him to scramble for purchase, his feet slipping out from under him.

He heard a woman scream as he fell backwards, catching his leg on a branch and flipping around helplessly mid-air. It wasn't until just before he hit the ground that the dreamy heckler darted under him with arms splayed upwards, catching him and breaking his fall.

He landed with a hard thud, the wind knocked out of his lungs filling him with panic. Sue rushed to his side as he struggled to push himself up by his elbows. "Ian I need you to take a deep breath. Can you do that? Breathe, Ian!"

He inhaled sharply as she checked him for injuries, giving him the go-ahead to roll over so she could inspect the man lying crumpled underneath him.

"Jesus, Ian, what the hell were you thinking?" She carefully felt around the brunet's neck and checked his limbs for anything broken or sprained. "I'm sending you home for the day. Get your shit together."

The heckler offered up meekly, "Looks like you got some free time to buy me a beer, Gingerbread. A whole fuckin' pitcher, in fact."

Ian laughed and rolled towards him, propping his head up onto his hand. "Guess I do owe you for saving my life." He smirked and added, "I'm Ian."

"Yeah, I got that the first time your co-worker here tried talking your dumb ass down."

"So you're just a big fan of pet names, huh?" Ian flirted, boldly letting his hand rest upon the man's hip.

A black cat sidled up to the older man's prone body on the grass and flopped over, resting its weight upon his other side. "Speaking of pet names... I'ma name this one 'Asshole'."

Ian laughed, doubling over when he felt the bruising in his ribs. "Good", the brunet grinned. "That's what you get."

He looked the redhead up and down several times, pausing on his lips with each pass. "I'm Mickey."

"Mickey." Ian said breathily. The name rolled off of his tongue effortlessly. His chest filled with a warmth and familiarity he wasn't expecting. "You wanna go get that beer, Mickey?"

"Dunno, man, think you mighta punctured my spleen or something... You're gonna have to check me for injuries. You know, real thorough, and shit."

Ian leaned in, "Think I should give you a personal exam? Get close up and personal, make sure there's nothing I missed?"

"Can't be too careful..." he flirted, and lifted his head off the ground, looking over Ian's shoulder. "How much room you got in the back of that ambulance?"

Sue shook her head, “Jesus Christ. Why don’t you two try walking it off, first? Ian, make sure he doesn’t have a concussion. And call me tomorrow morning before you come in, got it?”

He gave her a salute before struggling to his feet, turning to offer his hand to his knight in shining armor.

The man beamed up at him. “Just so we’re clear, Ian… I like to do the climbing.” He took Ian’s hand and was lifted quickly to his feet, stumbling into Ian’s chest and wincing as his ankle gave out. Ian wrapped his arms around Mickey’s waist to keep him from falling.

“I’ve got you…” He gripped tightly as Mickey’s hands reached out to Ian’s shoulders for support. They looked at each other hesitantly as the sudden closeness aroused more than just Mickey’s bravado. His eyes flicked between Ian’s green eyes and his parted lips, a crooked smirk hitching up on one side of Ian’s handsome face.

Mickey balanced unsteadily on one foot as the intimacy between them intensified, nervously chewing at his bottom lip. He felt the slightest bit of a tug from Ian’s embrace, encouraging him closer.

“Ah, fuck it.” Mickey pulled Ian in by his shoulders and kissed him hard on the lips. His breath caught in his throat as Ian kissed him back with passion and fervor. He coiled his arms around Ian's shoulders as they held each other tighter; their lips exploring languidly, breaths shortening, hearts pounding.

They stayed like that as the crowd dispersed and Sue drove the ambulance away, only occasionally interrupted by the soft cat nudging affectionately at their calves.

**Author's Note:**

> Asshole has officially adopted Ian and Mickey, they just don't know it yet. <3
> 
>  
> 
> If you're a fan of Gallavich + kitten stories, I highly recommend:
> 
>  
> 
> Tumble by J_Q  
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/13480047
> 
> A Purrfect Coincidence by stars_fall_on  
> https://archiveofourown.org/collections/EG_Kitty_Challenge/works/13517787
> 
> Milo's Secret Affair by crazynadine  
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/15405738
> 
> Al by koganphrancis  
> https://archiveofourown.org/collections/EG_Kitty_Challenge/works/13624587
> 
> Purrfect Kismet by Anonymous  
> https://archiveofourown.org/collections/EG_Kitty_Challenge/works/13606941
> 
> and Animal Shelter by Raine_on_me  
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/14866869/chapters/35735034


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